The Traveling Teashop
by Primuler
Summary: Set a few years after Korra starts. A depressed kid comes across a mysterious teashop wagon in the middle of the forest. She is greeted by an old water tribe woman. I just had to write this fic upon hearing that Zuko is alive! Zutara friendship.


_This concept had been in my mind for a while. Zuko and Katara traveling together with a mobile teashop._

_And when I learned that Zuko is STILL ALIVE, I just had to write this fanfic._

_Well, Fire lord Azulon lived until he was like 108. Katara will live until her third great grand child borns._

_So both of them have about few years left! Let's say it takes Korra about 2 years for her to realize fully as an avatar._

_After that, Katara is a completely free woman with nothing to do. So why not travel with Zuko like old times?_

_Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me._

_Note: 'I' here is a completely random passing kid._

* * *

Angry with my mom, I ran out of the town into the forest. Ran without thinking for ages and ages. I didn't care about my mom anymore. She was always getting in my way, and this time too far. I didn't want to see her anymore. I just ran. And finally when I couldn't run anymore, I dumped myself onto the forest floor. The bright midday sun wasn't helping me either, and the number of thoughts in my head was overwhelming. I just didn't want to think how much damage she had done to me this time anymore. I wanted someplace to rest.

When I turned my body around in frustration, I noticed something peculiar in the forest. There was a small rhino-drawn food stall on wheels that looked a lot like a carriage in the middle of the clearing. There was a banner written 'Tea Shop' on the top. It was strange, since I hadn't seen anything within the forest for ages and there certainly was no town near here. Why would a teashop be here? Curious, I approached that small food stall. Someone inside the stall noticed me looking at the carriage and came out. She was a very old woman from waterbending tribe with kind face.

"Well, hello there." the old woman said. She had a strange, but soft atmosphere, a somewhat calming voice.

"Hello, er..." I began to speak, but at that moment, my stomach growled really loudly. Man, what a timing. The old woman chuckled softly. I could feel my face was getting red.

"Wait there for a moment. I'll prepare you something to eat." said old woman.

"It's really okay!" I said frantically, but the woman turned around and opened the stall counter and window. She went into the stall and carried two chairs out with great effort. She swayed a bit I hurried to help.

"Thanks." said the old woman, putting the chairs down, "I'm not like I was in the old days, but I have to try, no?"

After putting the chairs down, she took a tea set and a dish with some dumplings out.

"There's nothing much since we've been travelling for so long." said the old woman apologetically, pouring some tea into cups.

"No, it's so nice of you to give me something like this. Thank you so much." I said, and without thinking, I started shoving dumplings into my mouth.

"Do slow down, or you'll choke." said the old woman, offering me a cup of tea. I said thanks and took her cup. Boy, the dumplings never tasted better.

Aftet finishing the plate, I drank the tea as the old woman poured her own cup.

"It's the tea made by the guy who runs this stall with me. How is it?" said the old woman, holding her own cup up. Just like she said, even though the tea was cold, it somehow had soothing taste. After I drank all the tea down, I put the cup on the stall counter.

"So there's another person who runs this teashop?" I asked, enjoying the good taste left in my mouth. The woman poured some more tea into my cup.

"Of course, it would be hard to run a shop like this by myself. He may not look it, but he's surprisingly good at doing these kind of things." said the old woman, smiling.

"He must be, the tea tastes so good, and dumplings too." I said, hoping that there was another plate. The herbs in the dumplings had tasted so good and fresh.

"Oh, really? I'm glad that you like them. I made the dumplings, you know." said the old woman. She looked quite happy by the comment.

"Yeah, I mean really. They're wonderful." I said, picking my cup again.

"It's one of my few remaining hobbies after I retired you see." said the old woman joyfully.

"Hm? What did you do before this then?" I asked. I took a sip from the tea slowly to enjoy the taste thoroughly.

"Nothing much really. Just looking after a child." said the old woman.

"A child?" I asked, wiping my mouth with my wrist.

"Yeah, she was a quite troublemaker you see. I remember her getting nabbed by the police because she caught some fish in the Central Park and cooked them right on the spot." said the old woman merrilly.

"Wow, you mean the park in Republic City? She must've got some nerve!" I said, laughing at the thought. Although there used to be some quarrels in Republic City, it was still number 1 law-abiding region famous for strictness of laws. Imagine fishing there!

"Do you feel better now?" said the old woman, looking at me. At those kind words, my heart jumped up, surprised.

"Yeah... thank you so much..." I said, smiling.

"That girl, she has become a such fine adult now. It's a bit pity that I don't get to see her so much anymore though..." said the old woman, gazing off into the air with a sad smile.

"You... must be proud of her." I said. Somehow, those sad smile on her face bore into my heart deeply. It reminded me of my mom. After all, all she did was well-meant for me...

"I sure do." said the old woman, smiling.

There was a short silence for a moment. A soft spring wind blew, and embraced our faces gently. I suddenly felt guilty. I had to apologize to her for yelling at her earlier. I stood up.

"Are you going?" asked the old woman, pleasantly surprised.

"Yeah... Thank you so much for today... when I go back to the town, I'll be sure to pay you for all the nice snacks." I said, bowing to her deeply.

"No, no you don't have to. It's for sparing your time with this old lady." said the old woman, chuckling softly.

"I'll be sure to come back to see you! Thank you again!" I said, and I ran towards the town, to my mom.

* * *

Right after the girl went out of the old woman's sight, an old man approached from behind the stall. He had a burnt mark on his eyes and had a pretty healthy build for his age.

"I'm back. It's such a pain to look for Tayo's food." said the old man, putting the bag full of fruits in front of the rhino. The old man noticed the chairs and the empty plate.

"Hm..? What were you doing while I was gone?" asked the old man, looking at the woman.

"Just doing your thing. Giving peaceful moments to people." said the old woman, smiling. The old man smiled back at her in response. The old woman held her cup up to drink, but the old man stopped her.

"You're tea is cold. Let me warm it up." he said, taking her cup to his hands. He brushed a small speck of fire around the cup gently with one finger, and in a few seconds, the cup began steaming

"Thanks." said the old woman, as the old man handed her the cup. The old man poured his own and did the same thing again. The old man sat right next to the old woman's chair.

"I'm glad that I could travel around with you, Ambassador Zuko. It feels so good to be traveling again, meeting many people." said the old woman, looking at the old man.

"Same for me, Katara. It's good to have a traveling companion." smiled the old man. Together, Katara and Zuko chatted merrilly.

Keeping the peace is not a big thing. It starts from having a quiet, soothing time once in a while. To give everyone that moment of peace, Ambassador Zuko and Katara's travelling teashops heads to another town today as well.

* * *

_Criticisms are welcomed! Please feel free to comment!_

_And so much thanks to Jaqueesex for overlooking at my work!_


End file.
